


Not a Single Star War (Director's Cut)

by CycloneRachel



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Danvers Sisters, Developing Friendships, Fluff and Angst, Gen, One Shot, Rewrite of Previous Fic, Season 3 finale spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-06-11 05:52:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15308865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CycloneRachel/pseuds/CycloneRachel
Summary: In which Kara and Alex remedy Brainy's lack of Star Wars knowledge, and Brainy comes to terms with his new home.





	Not a Single Star War (Director's Cut)

**Author's Note:**

> guess who's back with a rewrite of her fic from almost a month ago? this nerd, that's who.
> 
> also I suggest that you all go read "behind her smiling eyes" by miraculousagentsofkrypton! similar subject, different source of angst! Also excellent! cannot recommend enough.

She noticed him, after everything had settled down, on the balcony.

Looking out at the city, with an expression she couldn’t see, though as she got closer to him, she imagined he was only thinking. About his future, both in the time he left behind, and in this very city.

She let him look, not even stepping beside him to join him in his contemplation. Staring up at the stars, as they just started to show themselves in the night sky, he reminded her of herself, when she first came to Earth. They both had worlds they’d left behind, but unlike hers, his future was uncertain.

Which, perhaps, may have been worse than seeing one’s home planet meet its demise.

He found her, much later, when he gave up on the Legion ship coming back for him immediately. Turning his back on the future for the time being, he walked back into the DEO and found the very person he’d wanted to see- the person he knew who could make his stay in the present at least acceptable, if not even pleasant.

“Kara!” he said, taking a step backwards after almost colliding with her. “I am sorry. It is only- I was just-“

Kara gave him a sympathetic look, seeing his frustrated expression.

 _Fitting,_ he thought. _The one person I want to talk to, in this place, and yet I cannot even form complete sentences in her presence. Things were so much easier when we were still fighting the Worldkillers…_

He doesn’t realize he said the last part out loud, until she blinks, staring at him.

“Fighting the Worldkillers was still really hard.” Kara said. “But hey, I’m glad you guys were here to help us.”

“Oh, that is not what I meant.” Brainy answered. “I was trying to say that conversation was easier. We actually had tasks we were assigned to accomplish, and topics we could speak about- as Supergirl and Brainiac 5.”

He gestured to each of them in turn, when he said their names, and Kara couldn’t help but giggle. But he returned to a serious expression, and she matched it as she looked at him.

“As I was saying.” He said. “We were able to discuss subjects fairly naturally, during that time. But now that we have returned to being Kara Danvers and Querl Dox, now that things are peaceful…”

“You’re not sure how to relax?” Kara offered.

Brainy gave her an uncertain expression.

“Truthfully, no.”

“I get it.” Kara said. “But in this city, there’s always something going on. You won’t be relaxing for very long.”

Her tone was light, almost jovial, and he felt as though he should laugh. But he also felt an underlying sadness to her words, and a resignation.

_There’s always someone else to fight. It’s only a matter of time. But I’ve been through enough already, I can handle it. It’ll be okay._

He reached out, tentatively, and placed a hand on her shoulder, making her turn her attention to him.

“You are not alone, in this fight.” He said. “Any time that you need me, I will be present, and though I cannot speak for the others here, especially your sister, I am certain that they would agree with such a thought.”

“Yeah.” Kara said, voice distant. “But still…”

“This is non-negotiable.” Brainy answered. “A promise, that your friends and family will be there if you need them- but I know that you also may not. And if that is the case, we will honor your request.”

Kara smiled, gently patting his hand.

“Thanks, Brainy.” She said, before he withdrew it, and she stepped back. “I’ll think about it.”

Then she was gone, and now he was the one watching her.

~

A week later (at least, going by Brainy’s interpretation of the calendar- it had felt so long since everything had happened) she sought him out.

“Hey! Brainy!”

“Kara?” he asked, as she half-jogged up to him. “You wanted to speak to me?”

“Well, yeah.” She said.

“And this is a personal matter? Or is it something that you require of me, for work?”

“Personal, definitely.” Kara said. “Actually, I wanted to invite you to my apartment. Over the weekend.”

“As in this upcoming weekend? Five days from today?” he asked.

Kara nodded, giving him a smile that seemed brighter now, even though such things were subjective.

“Yes! I figured you’d gone long enough without seeing it in real life, as you said.” She answered. “And I still haven’t shown you _Star Wars_.”

“Right.” He said.

“Have you looked up anything about it?” Kara asked. “Just curious.”

“I can honestly say I haven’t.” he said. “Truthfully, I have been waiting for you to explain more fully- so that I can experience it for myself. And it would be an honor to watch them with you.”

“Well, I’d be happy to show them to you.” She answered.

 _Winn should be here,_ she thought, fleetingly. _He loves them even more than me- you’d be better off watching them with him._

But she shoved that thought away, and smiled again. “So, I’ll meet you here on Saturday?” she asked. “I can fly you to my apartment, or we can walk…”

Brainy considered it.

“I do still have my Legion ring, Kara.” He said. “The very ring that gives me the gift of flight, even though I have not yet used it in this century, in favor of only flying the Legion ship, instead of outside it. And I would be happy to fly alongside you- as long as the citizens of National City would not be too disturbed to see two people flying above their city at night.”

Kara shook her head.

“I don’t know, but I mean, I think it’d be fine.” She said. “And flying with you sounds great.”

“Perfect.” He said, smiling. “I can hardly wait. Well, I can, but I am certain it will be difficult.”

He walked away, and Kara noticed that he appeared comfortable walking through the DEO- wearing the uniform, navigating the halls like he’d been there forever. She guessed he’d memorized the floor plans, and he had taken some time to become acquainted with the place, but… it was still nice, seeing him at home in his new temporary headquarters.

Even though, sooner or later, he’d have to leave them behind again.

~

She meets him on the DEO balcony right when she said, although really it could have been any time that day, as she didn’t have to work in either of her identities. He’s there in his uniform, image inducer on.

“You can turn it off, around me, you know.” Kara says. “And since this is your secret identity, you might not want to use it when flying?”

“No.” he answers. “You never know who could be watching- and what would these people say, to a Brainiac watching their city?”

“Brainy, it’s nighttime. Nobody’s going to see you, or care. And you know I won’t.”

It was true, she didn’t, and he was grateful. Nobody in the DEO had brought up his appearance, at all, either when he was working with them before or when he’d begun to occupy a more permanent position. It was one of the best parts of living in the twenty-first century, working amongst people who’d become used to aliens, even being led by one.

Of course, said happiness was tainted by those outside fearing him, but he preferred not to dwell on it.

Brainy sighed, looking down. “You are correct.” He said, before turning it off. Kara smiled, when his eyes met hers, and she poked his shoulder to get his attention, as both of them turned to the skies.

“Alright.” She said. “You just follow me, okay?”

_Of course. I would follow you anywhere._

He nodded, and activated his Legion ring, beginning to hover in the air as she did the same naturally.

“Let’s go.”

She took off, and he flew beside her. Kara noticed he didn’t fly with his arms out, but rather they were by his sides- like he was a bullet.

He caught her looking at him, and soon adjusted his position- flying with one arm extended completely, the other by his side, like hers.

She only smiled at that, and they continued, touching down inside Kara’s apartment, Brainy not even bothering to disguise himself even as Kara was changing clothes, though of course covered his eyes while she was doing so.

She looked him over, as he stood there not quite knowing what to do.

“Oh.” She said, realizing what he was looking at. “You don’t have any clothes besides your uniforms, do you?”

He shook his head, and she smiled. “Alright. We’re gonna fix that soon. But first…”

Alex walked in, then, carrying a full bag of ice cream cartons, and a box of microwave popcorn.

“Right on time.” Kara said, now in a casual outfit, going over to hug her sister.

“You invited your sister.” Brainy said, flatly. “Of course.”

“Well, yeah, she wasn’t going to miss this!” Kara answered. “I mean, she was the one who showed me these movies… then again she also showed me _The Birds_ , so…”

“What is _The Birds_?”

“Another time.” Alex said. “Later. But, for now…”

She looked over to Kara, who already had the first DVD ready. She put it in, then turned to Brainy.

“This is going to be fun.” She said. “You ready?”

“As ready as I will ever be.” Brainy answered. “Although I believe all of us will be even more ready, if we have some of the food that Alex brought in.”

Kara smiled. “Can’t forget about that.” She said. “We’ll just have to keep the commercials going, so everything will be ready by the opening crawl.”

“What is-“ he started, but he had the feeling he was about to find out, so he kept his mouth shut. “Never mind.”

“Relax.” Alex said, turning to him as Kara started putting popcorn in the microwave. “This is going to be really fun.”

“As much fun as I am sure Winslow is having, in the future?”

Alex’s expression turned dark, and she closed her eyes, breathing in and out before speaking to him again.

“No.” she said. “Much more fun.”

“I’m sorry.” Brainy answered, suddenly. He would’ve reached out to her if he could, but she was too far away, on the couch while he was on the seat beside it, and he didn’t know how she felt about physical contact with people who weren’t her sister or her closest compatriots. “That he had to be sent away. After all, it is partially my fault.”

Alex sighed, as she looked over at him.

“It’s not, okay? You’re fine. You had no idea… I don’t hold that against you. At all.”

“You don’t?”

“No.” she said. “This was Winn’s dream, and you basically handed it to him, while basically telling him that he saves your life. You have no idea how much that means to him- which means he doesn’t resent you either, for helping him reach his calling. Everything’s gonna be okay.”

“You mean that?”

“Yes.” Alex answered. He saw tears in her eyes, and knew there was nothing but sincerity in her voice.

“Thank you.” He said.

“And, I just wanted to say, that Kara and I are here, and we’re your friends.” She answered. “I know- from growing up with Kara- that leaving your world behind is hard. And you probably want to go back more than anything, right?”

He nodded, wordless.

“It’s going to be fine.” She said. “You’ll go home, eventually.”

 _Earth is my home_ , he thought. _This just is not the Earth that I know._

Kara turned around, again, with the popcorn bags. “We’ll have the ice cream a little later.” She said. “So, Brainy, do you think you want a whole bag, or do you want to share with Alex?”

Brainy looked up at her, processing what she’d said.

“We’ll share.” Alex said, before he could speak. “Thanks.”

“Of course.” Kara said, dividing up the bag into one bowl for Brainy, and one for her sister. “Now, movie’s about to start. Are you sure you’re ready?”

The question was directed at Brainy, though it was Alex who answered, as Kara went to turn the lights off before joining Alex on the couch.

“He is.” She said. “Right?”

“I am now.” He finished.

That was enough for Kara, and she pressed play as the fanfare began, and Brainy knew he was in for something truly unforgettable.


End file.
